Analysis of German Occupation of Belgium during World War II
What were the circumstances in the occupied territory that compelled the policies implemented by the occupying power there?
Germany was able to implement their policies because the Belgium government was rather passive throughout the whole process, as well as being a Neutral nation. Ultimately the Belgian Civil Services feared to hurt their country in any way, so they would allow for the German authorities to employ actions/policies as they pleased. The Belgian Civil Services felt that “limited” cooperation would be the most beneficial method to their country’s safety and prosperity. Through this, there were not many circumstances that the German authorities had to deal with in order to imply their policies. The main circumstance that concerned the Germans was the plans for reaping the greatest benefit from their occupied nation as possible. So things such as resources, and labor efforts.
Before the Belgium government fled in 1940, the Galopin Doctrine stated that Belgian companies would continue producing goods that were necessary for Belgian population under the German authority, but it would refuse the production of war material or anything of the sort for German war effort. This refusal was done out of the sentiment to not repeat the horrendous results of World War I. So with this doctrine, the German occupiers would not be able to produce war effort items for their own purpose.
How was policy shaped to address these circumstances?
Belgium was occupied by a German military government under General Alexander von Falkenhausen and Eggert Reeder until July of 1944. Reichskommissar Josef Groche governed until Belgium was liberated.
The main goal of the German administration in Belgium was to maintain the authority, and extract materials from the Belgium territory that would be useful to German ware efforts.
The Belgian civil services assisted the Germans in maintaining/implementing orders, because they believed that partial co-operation with them would result in the least damage to Belgian interests.
Compared to the Civil Services, Belgian Fascist Parties were much more open to provide cooperation to the German occupiers. In both Wallonia and Flanders, the Belgian Fascist Parties recruited Belgian soldiers to enroll in the German army.
To reap the most benefits from Belgium, the German Government levied the cost of the military occupation on the Belgians through taxes. Demanding an “external occupation costs” or “Anti-Bolshevik charge” to support their operations.
Before German occupation, in 1940 the Belgian government established the “Committee of Secretary-Generals”. The Committee was retained by German authroties, and would ultimately have to execute demands made by the Militarverwaltungsstab. Although the committee hoped to cease German involvement in day-to-day administration of the Belgian Territory, and avert more radical German policies (ex. Forced labour and deportation), they were unable to do so. Rather than limit German involvement, the Committee ultimately would be the enabler for the Germans to employ their policies more effectively.
Based on the circumstance of only wanting pro-German/Nazi propaganda, the press became tightly controlled by German authorities. Only pro-Nazi topics/ideas were deal to be published in newspapers, all other topics/ideas were published underground.
The German authority also supervised the rationing of food. Under the circumstances of reaping the most benefits for the German nation, food and the collecting of food became a policy. Families that owned land had to meet quotas of food. So quotas on eggs, meat, milk, etc. were all placed on families. Ultimately many of these families were unable to keep up with these quotas, and turned to a newly-born black market to meet the standards of their quotas.
Another main policy that was created was the act of deportation of Belgian workers to Germany, which began October 1942. Originally, Belgian civilians would volunteer to go work, but as the German nation needed more hands for the production of goods, they began to forcefully deport or conscript Belgian workers to work in Germany for their war efforts. This ultimately would occur because of the Galopin Doctrine which nullified the possibility of German authorities to produce war items in Belgium. So instead being unable to produce goods within Belgium, the German authorities decided to deport workers to their homeland to work in the factories/etc.
The Military Government also passed anti-Jewish Laws in October of 1940. The increase of Anti-Jewish laws were slowly rising within the occupied territory of Belgium
What were the effects of the occupation of your territory on the occupying power’s war effort?
The main effects of the occupation of Germany in Belgium were that it would contribute to the war efforts of the German army. The German army would be benefitted because their numbers would be able to increase. The production of goods for the German’s war effort would be affected positively, because it would allow for greater goods to be available to the German Army. Policies that controlled the food quotas would also affect the German war efforts positively because it allowed for more nutritional items to the German army men.
numbers of troops diverted to the occupation and so forth,
The Battle of Belgium, or the 18 Days’ Campaign in Belgium was part of a greater battle, the Battle of France. On the 10th of May, 1940, Germany invaded Belgium, under the plan of Fall Gelb. As a whole, the German army sent roughly 140 divisions, 7000 guns, 20000 tanks, and 4000 operational aircraft.
Other logistical factors:
such as the psychological effect of occupation on the occupying power, issues of morale, attitudes of occupation forces toward the local population
Though the takeover of Belgium was fairly straightforward for the German troops, the German troops still had to deal with the stress of fighting and war. The Germans did not have major instances of loss of morale because they were able to successfully capture the Belgium nation. Through this, the German forces attitudes were reflecting of their successful takeover of Belgium.
attitudes of local population towards occupation forces
The general population did not favor the German authorities, mainly due to the fact that they were strictly rationing the distribution of food, fuel and clothing. Even though things were to be rationed, there was always less materials/food than said to be. This forced the population to create a illegal black market, as well as illegal newspapers like Le soir and La Libre Belgique. The population also feared becomes POW and being assigned to labor programs. This resulted in even greater upset in German occupation.
Though there were those against the German forces, there were also pro-Nazi political organizations that favored the German ideals.
What were the motivations/methods/outcomes of resistance and collaboration?
Resistance took the form of illegal underground movements. The main motivation derived from the German defeat at the Battle of Britain. Less than 5 percent of the Belgium population participated in the resistance, and much of the resistance was passive in nature. Active forms of resistance included sabotaging railways and routes of communication; as well as concealing Jews. Illegal newspapers were also a popular method to disperse knowledge amongst the underground resistance movement. Resistance groups could either be small or large.
How did this affect the occupied territory after the war? Use case studies to illustrate
German occupation within Belgium was not detrimental to the state of the nation. After the liberation of Belgium through the Allies, the exiled Belgian government was able to return back to their nation, and appointed Leopold III’s brother as Prince-Regent. The entire country was able to be recaptured by the beginning for year 1945.
What were the effects of occupation on women and youth in the occupied territory use case studies to illustrate
Women and the youth would be used as labor sources, as many of the men were being shipped off to either the army or Germany to work. Under the German authority, many of the youth were subjected to German ideals, and pro-Nazi ideas within the school systems. If the families were Jews, they would ultimatly prosecuted and transferred to camps.
Sources:
Bisschop, W. R. German War Legislation in the Occupied Territory of Belgium (n.d.): n. pag. JSTOR. Cambridge. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/743050>.
Falconbridge, John Delatre. "The Right of a Belligerent to Make War upon a Neutral." JSTOR. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/743053>.
- What were the circumstances in the occupied territory that compelled the policies implemented by the occupying power there?
- Germany was able to implement their policies because the Belgium government was rather passive throughout the whole process, as well as being a Neutral nation. Ultimately the Belgian Civil Services feared to hurt their country in any way, so they would allow for the German authorities to employ actions/policies as they pleased. The Belgian Civil Services felt that “limited” cooperation would be the most beneficial method to their country’s safety and prosperity. Through this, there were not many circumstances that the German authorities had to deal with in order to imply their policies. The main circumstance that concerned the Germans was the plans for reaping the greatest benefit from their occupied nation as possible. So things such as resources, and labor efforts.
- Before the Belgium government fled in 1940, the Galopin Doctrine stated that Belgian companies would continue producing goods that were necessary for Belgian population under the German authority, but it would refuse the production of war material or anything of the sort for German war effort. This refusal was done out of the sentiment to not repeat the horrendous results of World War I. So with this doctrine, the German occupiers would not be able to produce war effort items for their own purpose.
- How was policy shaped to address these circumstances?
- Belgium was occupied by a German military government under General Alexander von Falkenhausen and Eggert Reeder until July of 1944. Reichskommissar Josef Groche governed until Belgium was liberated.
- The main goal of the German administration in Belgium was to maintain the authority, and extract materials from the Belgium territory that would be useful to German ware efforts.
- The Belgian civil services assisted the Germans in maintaining/implementing orders, because they believed that partial co-operation with them would result in the least damage to Belgian interests.
- Compared to the Civil Services, Belgian Fascist Parties were much more open to provide cooperation to the German occupiers. In both Wallonia and Flanders, the Belgian Fascist Parties recruited Belgian soldiers to enroll in the German army.
- To reap the most benefits from Belgium, the German Government levied the cost of the military occupation on the Belgians through taxes. Demanding an “external occupation costs” or “Anti-Bolshevik charge” to support their operations.
- Before German occupation, in 1940 the Belgian government established the “Committee of Secretary-Generals”. The Committee was retained by German authroties, and would ultimately have to execute demands made by the Militarverwaltungsstab. Although the committee hoped to cease German involvement in day-to-day administration of the Belgian Territory, and avert more radical German policies (ex. Forced labour and deportation), they were unable to do so. Rather than limit German involvement, the Committee ultimately would be the enabler for the Germans to employ their policies more effectively.
- Based on the circumstance of only wanting pro-German/Nazi propaganda, the press became tightly controlled by German authorities. Only pro-Nazi topics/ideas were deal to be published in newspapers, all other topics/ideas were published underground.
- The German authority also supervised the rationing of food. Under the circumstances of reaping the most benefits for the German nation, food and the collecting of food became a policy. Families that owned land had to meet quotas of food. So quotas on eggs, meat, milk, etc. were all placed on families. Ultimately many of these families were unable to keep up with these quotas, and turned to a newly-born black market to meet the standards of their quotas.
- Another main policy that was created was the act of deportation of Belgian workers to Germany, which began October 1942. Originally, Belgian civilians would volunteer to go work, but as the German nation needed more hands for the production of goods, they began to forcefully deport or conscript Belgian workers to work in Germany for their war efforts. This ultimately would occur because of the Galopin Doctrine which nullified the possibility of German authorities to produce war items in Belgium. So instead being unable to produce goods within Belgium, the German authorities decided to deport workers to their homeland to work in the factories/etc.
- The Military Government also passed anti-Jewish Laws in October of 1940. The increase of Anti-Jewish laws were slowly rising within the occupied territory of Belgium
- What were the effects of the occupation of your territory on the occupying power’s war effort?
- The main effects of the occupation of Germany in Belgium were that it would contribute to the war efforts of the German army. The German army would be benefitted because their numbers would be able to increase. The production of goods for the German’s war effort would be affected positively, because it would allow for greater goods to be available to the German Army. Policies that controlled the food quotas would also affect the German war efforts positively because it allowed for more nutritional items to the German army men.
- numbers of troops diverted to the occupation and so forth,
- The Battle of Belgium, or the 18 Days’ Campaign in Belgium was part of a greater battle, the Battle of France. On the 10th of May, 1940, Germany invaded Belgium, under the plan of Fall Gelb. As a whole, the German army sent roughly 140 divisions, 7000 guns, 20000 tanks, and 4000 operational aircraft.
- Other logistical factors:
- such as the psychological effect of occupation on the occupying power, issues of morale, attitudes of occupation forces toward the local population
- Though the takeover of Belgium was fairly straightforward for the German troops, the German troops still had to deal with the stress of fighting and war. The Germans did not have major instances of loss of morale because they were able to successfully capture the Belgium nation. Through this, the German forces attitudes were reflecting of their successful takeover of Belgium.
- attitudes of local population towards occupation forces
- The general population did not favor the German authorities, mainly due to the fact that they were strictly rationing the distribution of food, fuel and clothing. Even though things were to be rationed, there was always less materials/food than said to be. This forced the population to create a illegal black market, as well as illegal newspapers like Le soir and La Libre Belgique. The population also feared becomes POW and being assigned to labor programs. This resulted in even greater upset in German occupation.
- Though there were those against the German forces, there were also pro-Nazi political organizations that favored the German ideals.
- What were the motivations/methods/outcomes of resistance and collaboration?
- Resistance took the form of illegal underground movements. The main motivation derived from the German defeat at the Battle of Britain. Less than 5 percent of the Belgium population participated in the resistance, and much of the resistance was passive in nature. Active forms of resistance included sabotaging railways and routes of communication; as well as concealing Jews. Illegal newspapers were also a popular method to disperse knowledge amongst the underground resistance movement. Resistance groups could either be small or large.
- How did this affect the occupied territory after the war? Use case studies to illustrate
- German occupation within Belgium was not detrimental to the state of the nation. After the liberation of Belgium through the Allies, the exiled Belgian government was able to return back to their nation, and appointed Leopold III’s brother as Prince-Regent. The entire country was able to be recaptured by the beginning for year 1945.
- What were the effects of occupation on women and youth in the occupied territory use case studies to illustrate
- Women and the youth would be used as labor sources, as many of the men were being shipped off to either the army or Germany to work. Under the German authority, many of the youth were subjected to German ideals, and pro-Nazi ideas within the school systems. If the families were Jews, they would ultimatly prosecuted and transferred to camps.
- Sources:
Bisschop, W. R. German War Legislation in the Occupied Territory of Belgium (n.d.): n. pag. JSTOR. Cambridge. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/743050>.Falconbridge, John Delatre. "The Right of a Belligerent to Make War upon a Neutral." JSTOR. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/743053>.